The supporters of Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba under the MK Movement have bought tickets for the Kabaka birthday run worth shs20 million to help support the annual event that forms part of the celebrations to mark the birthday of Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II.
This year the Kabaka will celebrate 68 years of age.
Led by the MK Movement National Vice Chairman Western Uganda, Balaam Barugahara, the excited supporters clad in T-shirts with photos and writings declaring Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba as Uganda's President, the group thronged Bulange and paid for 1000 running kits.
Barugahara, who represented Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba said the MK Movement is anchored on youth empowerment, thus committed to supporting and working with the kingdom to promote sports and culture.
"Gen Kainerugaba has sent me to inform you that we are ready to work together to promote sports and culture in the country and we work towards empowering the youth. Gen Kainerugaba commends the Kingdom for always identifying and promoting talent through the Masaza football tournament," Barugahara said.
"Like the General has publicly stated before, we are also committed to working with Buganda Kingdom in making Kampala the cleanest city in Africa. We will work with the Kingdom to rally citizens to engage in environment-conscious activities that will not result in littering, thus realizing our transformational agenda of Kampala."
This year's Kabaka birthday run is intended to raise awareness and strengthen the efforts to fight the HIV/ AIDS epidemic in Buganda and Uganda at large, under the theme: "The fight to end HIV/ AIDS by 2030."
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Barugahara said the Kabaka has been at the forefront of campaigning to increase the uptake of HIV testing and treatment services, with a particular focus on men and boys, saying, as a group that consists mainly of young people, being part of such campaign is inevitable.
"Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba's supporters are mainly young people. We want to see them healthy and free of HIV/AIDS in order for them to build our country. So, we want to identify with Buganda Kingdom on this cause," he said.
The Minister of Sports, Youth and Recreation for Buganda Kingdom Henry Sekabembe thanked the MK Movement for the gesture, and appealed to the youth to protect themselves against acquiring HIV.
"Buganda Kingdom does discriminate people, we welcome everyone regardless of their political, ethnic, religious and other affiliations. It is in that spirit that we welcome here today. I am pleased that you have joined us to use this run to fight HIV/AIDS in the country," Sekabembe said.
"The youth are an indispensable variable in this equation because HIV tackles the youth more compared to other groups. It is in this regard that I want to appeal to you the young people of this country to safeguard yourselves as far as this Virus is concerned. This is because if we are to fare highly and scale the heights in all other aspects say economics, politics, it should health first."
Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, will officially flag off the run on Sunday, April 16, 2023.
